Scitech founder dies in snow storm

The founder of Australia's first science exhibition centre, killed in a snowstorm in New Zealand, was a charismatic man with a "magic quality."

This quality enabled him to make science exciting, a former colleague says.

Seddon Bennington, 61, and a family friend were found dead in ranges north of Wellington on Wednesday after they were struck by bad weather during a two-day bushwalk.

Dr Bennington, a New Zealander, was chief executive of Western Australia's science centre, Scitech, from 1988 to 1993.

The current Scitech acting chief executive, Gary Foxton, said he had worked alongside Dr Bennington while financial director during that time.

He described Dr Bennington as a leader in his field and a man of vision who created Scitech with the assistance of local politicians and members of the WA mining community.

Mr Foxton said Dr Bennington made science exciting and showed children there was more to it than white lab coats.

He was a charismatic character, who had a passion for the promotion of science education, Mr Foxton said.

"He understood there was a role for informal science education alongside the formal science education stream and was able to establish an interactive science centre.

"He provided another way for not only schools but for members of the general public to come and explore science and find out how it impacts on their everyday lives."

Mr Foxton said while Dr Bennington's legacy would be the creation of Australia's first science education centre, he would also be remembered for his contribution to the international science community.

There were many leaders of science centres and museums across the world who looked to Dr Bennington for leadership and his views and ideas, he said.

He had a magic quality, able to present complex and confusing aspects of science in fun filled and meaningful ways, Mr Foxton said.

Dr Bennington left Scitech in 1993 to take up the role of CEO at Carnegie Science Centre in Pittsburgh, USA.

In 2003, he became CEO at New Zealand's national museum, Te Papa, in Wellington.